Chicago Dooring Accidents

Bicycling in the Chicago area is very popular, as people seek to enjoy the exercise and other benefits of bicycling. As well, as discussed in the May 8 post (“Increase In Chicago Bicycle Commuting“) an increasing number of people have chosen to bicycle to work.

As many bicyclists in the Chicago metropolitan area know, bicycling in traffic presents many risks. Streets can be busy with vehicle traffic, and drivers can be aggressive and, at times, reckless. Additionally, distracted drivers appears to be another growing risk to Chicago area traffic safety in general, and to bicyclists in particular.

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) published a report concerning City of Chicago bicycling accidents. The report, titled “City Of Chicago: 2012 Bicycle Crash Analysis” contains a variety of statistics regarding bicycle accidents in the 2005-2010 period, as well as a number of recommendations on how to improve Chicago bicycling safety.

One area of note within the report is that regarding dooring accidents. The post of November 23, 2013 titled “Preventing Bicycling ‘Dooring’ Accidents” discussed the “dooring” topic. Within the CDOT report, there is a limited amount of statistics (seen on page 29) regarding the overall topic of dooring. However, the information seen on page 48 discusses the prevalence of dooring accidents on 15 “arterial” streets. As stated by the report, “These arterials accounted for 52 percent of all dooring crashes.” The accompanying table shows that Lincoln, Clark and Milwaukee are the arterials with the
highest rates of dooring crashes, as well as the highest absolute number of dooring crashes.

While the data from the CDOT report is at this point somewhat “dated,” it still seems informative and highlights the underlying level of risk and hazards presented to those who ride in Chicago.

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Should you be involved in a vehicle accident, there are certain actions you should take in order to protect your rights. Elman Law Group has compiled a reference document titled “10 Steps You Should Follow After an Auto Accident.”
_____Elman Law Group LLC (ElmanLaw.com) concentrates in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death cases involving vehicle accidents (car, motorcycle, bike, bus, pedestrian, truck, etc.) This intense focus allows us to consistently achieve winning verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Should you be involved in a car accident, there are certain actions you should take in order to protect your rights. You should not assume – especially without proper legal representation – that you will receive appropriate compensation for your injuries, hardships and/or losses. To speak directly with a trial lawyer from Elman Law Group immediately, call (773) 392-8182 at any time. There is no fee for this consultation.